Harsh Realms
by TheWorldIsAScaryPlace
Summary: Cameron is dragged into the fight for control of ICW when the Black Label serve her an ultimatum. (OC, Team Dallas, The Black Label)


Chapter one

"You did alright out there." Red commented. Cameron stared blankly at him, waiting for something to happen.  
Knowing Red as well as she did, she knew he hadn't sent Jester out to the back to fetch her just so he could give her a half arsed compliment.

Red, flanked by Jester and Drew stared back at her, still not giving anything away. Cam could sense that the other shoe was about to drop. Red was most likely considering his words to her. He sat forward suddenly, but slowly enough to unsettle her that little bit more.  
"Some people might consider you to be a traitor." She was stunned for a moment, left to just continue to stare at him. The look on his face said that was the reaction he wanted.  
"How's that?" She finally asked, genuinely perplexed.  
"Did you forget who spent all those months training you?"  
"No. But then I don't see your point, either." She wasn't in the mood for one of Red's games. Not ten minutes ago, Viper had been kicking her arse around the ring.  
"The point, love, is that you used me for months, only to run off to pal around with that prick Dallas as soon as he waved a contract in your direction." Cam would have found this laughable if Red wasn't such a manipulative prick. He'd conveniently forgotten that he could have given her a contract himself. But that important detail wouldn't fit his agenda.  
"That's not how I see it."  
"Is it not? Because that's how it looks to us. You'd agree, wouldn't you?" He asked, turning to the other men present. They both gave a nod in reply. Her index and middle finger pinched the bridge of her nose, in a somewhat thinly veiled attempt to keep her composure.  
"It's nothing personal. He offered me a chance that you weren't willing to."  
"And I can take that away, so don't forget that." The colour drained from her face, giving Red another reason to smirk. He could probably assume that he had given her no choice but to go along with whatever he was about to propose.  
"What? Are you giving me the sack?"  
"That depends on you. If you were to help us, your mentors, then there'd be no need to let you go."  
"What does this help consist of?"  
"Whatever it takes to help make sure that we walk out of the Hydro in control."  
"And what exactly do I get of this?"  
"You keep your job."  
"And?" She knew she might well be pushing her luck, but she at least wanted to know what other empty promises he'd make.  
"That not enough for you now?"  
"This is my neck on the line."  
"What do you want? The women's title?" She mulled it over for a moment, chewing on her lower lip as the fingers of her left hand tapped the table between them. A shot at the title would be something, but she didn't want to get it by betraying the company. She was better than that, at least she had thought she was.  
"I want a guarantee that I'll keep my job. None of your games. No sacking me off as soon as you get what you want."  
"Deal." Red offered his hand to her, another smirk plastered on his face. Her jaw was firmly clenched as she returned the gesture, shaking his hand.  
"That's my girl." He teased, earning a laugh from Jester and Drew. At that moment she wanted to vomit.

Resigned to helping them, she had cleaned up and slipped out of the fire exit to have a crafty smoke. The silence of the yard didn't last long, as the sound of heavy boots shuffled towards her. Cam acknowledged Jack's presence, briefly turning her head to look at him.  
"You should know better then to push him." She disregarded the comment, choosing to look away from him. "Thought you'd be smarter than that." She moved from the spot against the wall to turn and glare at him for a second.  
"Yeah, I'm a real idiot for wanting to protect myself."  
"At what expense? You piss him off too much and he won't keep you around for long." Part of her believed him, the more realistic part of her suspected that Red might not keep his word anyway. If that meeting was any indication of how things would turn out, she might well consider pushing her luck as far as it would carry her.  
"Put your number in this." She was handed his phone, after it was done she handed the item back. "You are to check in with me every other day. And the second you get any information, you call me." She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. "Save that number." He kept his eyes on her, watching until she had saved it and presented her phone for him to check. 


End file.
